English Bulldogs are impatient of heat and sultry weather. Bulldog's body temperature is higher and its body cooling system is not so effective than of human. Temperature is regulated through nose, tongue, mouth and paws that is why Bulldogs are overheated faster than us, being at risk of heat stroke. It is very dangerous for Bulldog's health and even for life.
How to Prevent English Bulldog Overheating?
1. Avoid walking under strong sun. Exclude or minimize daily walks in hot weather. Optimum walking schedule is early in the morning and late in the evening or at night. If there is a need to go out with Bulldog in the afternoon, limit walk to 10-15 min. in the shade of trees.
Bulldogs with heart failure, diabetes, epilepsy, obesity, respiratory, infective and other serious diseases, pregnant females, elderly dogs and Bulldog puppies younger 6 months should be outside as little as possible in the heat.
2. Limit physical exercising. Don't make your Bulldog move or run actively in hot and slack days. If you Bulldog goes in for sports and training sessions can't be canceled, reschedule them to morning or evening hours and reduce their intensity. Change trainings to swimming in especially hot days. It is excellent loading and rescue from the heat.
3. Stay in the shade. Avoid open space and direct sunlight when you are outdoors. Never tie Bulldog under the scorching sun. If there is a need to be under the sun (f.e. very important Bulldog shows), take a lot of water, sunshade, sun-protection cap, special cooling collar and body-cloth.
4. When you leave Bulldog at home, don't close the dog in a cramped room without inflow of fresh air. Open windows and interior doors from shadow side if possible if you have no air conditioner. Your Bulldog should have an opportunity to move freely along the apartment. You can also leave open a door in a bathroom - many Bulldogs like to lie there on a cool tile.
Hang up a wet towel and direct to it airflow of the fan to lower temperature in the room. Watch only that Bulldog didn't lie on a draft, directly under airstream of the conditioner or the fan.
Lay a cooling rug under your English Bulldog bed or make it yourself from frozen plastic bags or small bottles alternatively. Wrap them with a towel and put near the dog.
Tie a wet kerchief, put on the cooling collar, a vest or a body-cloth.
5. More water for drinking and cooling. Bulldogs need more water in the heat. The dog should always have fresh water. Watch that English Bulldog water bowl was full all the time, change water more often so that it was cool longer, add an ice cube. Take dog water bottle for a long walk or a trip by car. If Bulldog suffers from the heat, moisten its paws, head and belly with cool water. Wipe with a wet cloth Bulldog's ears inside.
It is perfectly if there is an opportunity for Bulldog to swim or to walk in water. But don't make the dog to get into water by force! If your English Bulldog is not the fan of swimming or there is no water pond nearby, you can sprinkle it with water from a spray, hose (under low pressure) or douche.
If you have a country house, it is good to put a small pool outside - your Bulldog will splash in it with pleasure when wants to refresh.
6. Change English Bulldog nutrition. Exclude fatty and junk food, which digestion requires a lot of energy from English Bulldog nutrition in the heat. If the dog eats unwillingly or refuses food since morning - it is normal, you needn't worry and make your Bully to eat, just reduce food quantity and meals. Adult Bulldog can be transferred for a while to a sour-milk diet (provided that there are no contraindications or individual intolerance) or to one-time feeding.
7. If you are going to travel. When you travel with your Bulldog by car, keep in mind that the sun burns the most strongly through rear window. Therefore take necessary measures to prevent English Bulldog overheating: water it with spray bottle, tie a wet kerchief, put on the cooling collar. Don't allow the Bulldog to stick its head out of open window, this may lead to conjunctivitis and is dangerous. If a trip is long, stop each 2-3 hours so that the dog could walk and drink.
8. Never leave your Bulldog in the car! It would seem this is well-known caution and nevertheless much more dogs die of heatstroke in parked cars than was thinkable. Even if you leave the car in a shadow and crack the window, this is unsafe for the dog. Interior of the car is heated up to critical temperatures very quickly, within minutes - even your short absence can become fatal.
Think hard before traveling with Bulldog by plane in hot and wet weather. Long stay in closed container in the luggage compartment can be dangerous for your pet.
Don't put on the dog close muzzle. It can get heat stroke with such a muzzle on. If your Bulldog should be muzzled, choose maximum ventilated and comfortable one.
Don't tighten the collar. Choose a light-weighted collar or harness for summer.
9. Protect Bulldog's nose and paws. Keep in mind that tender skin in groin, ears inner surface and nose are risk zones, which can burn quickly in the sun. Even if the Bulldog wants to lie in the sun, take it away in the shadow as soon as it starts panting. Try not to walk the dog on pavements in midday sun as it can burn paws. Be careful at the seaside. Your Bully can easily burn paws if sand or pebble is too hot for you to walk.
10. Watch your Bulldog's coat. Use dog flea and tick repellents – scratches of insect stings are easily infected and don’t heal up for a long time in the heat. Hot weather may also cause shedding so use a dog slicker or brush oftener.
Choose useful dog grooming products for summer.
Read also about English Bulldog in the country.